BIOSTAR Also Shows Off Micro-ATX Hi-Fi H170Z3 with Dual Memory Type Support

[btarunr]

In addition to the Hi-Fi B150Z5, BIOSTAR unveiled the micro-ATX Hi-Fi H170Z3. Based on the H170 Express chipset, which has the same feature-set as the Z170, minus CPU overclocking and multi-GPU; the Hi-Fi H170Z3 offers a 7-phase CPU VRM, two each of DDR3 and DDR4 memory slots (you can use any one type at a given time), supporting up to 16 GB of dual-DDR3-1600 and up to 32 GB of dual-DDR4-2133; a single PCI-Express 3.0 x16 and PCIe 2.0 x1; two legacy PCI slots; and storage options that include SATA-Express, two SATA 6 Gb/s, and M.2 (10 Gb/s). An 8-channel Hi-Fi onboard audio, gigabit Ethernet, and six USB 3.0 ports, make for the rest of its modern connectivity.



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[micropage7]

its like recalling, like when DDR2 to DDR3 and many boards that offered support different type of ram, then now its the same

 

[newtekie1]

Do we really still need PCI?

 

[buildzoid]

Do we really still need PCI?

Many sound cards still use it

 

[newtekie1]

Many sound cards still use it

None worth using on a modern system.

 

[btarunr]

Do we really still need PCI?

Still many PCI Wi-Fi cards in circulation. PCI WLAN cards tend to be the cheapest. People don't care about WLAN bandwidth as long as their YouTube Cat videos don't stutter at 1080p.

 

[newtekie1]

Still many PCI Wi-Fi cards in circulation. PCI WLAN cards tend to be the cheapest. People don't care about WLAN bandwidth as long as their YouTube Cat videos don't stutter at 1080p.

So we have to keep this antiquated standard around and sacrifice PCI-E slots so people don't have to spend $9 on a PCI-E wireless cards? Sorry, that makes no sense. I'd rather have 3 PCI-E x1 slots instead of 1 PCI-E x1 and 2 PCI.

 

[deemon]

Sounds like some wonky niche use board not meant for mainstream.

It's not for new system builders, but for some partial upgrades only where you go for new CPU mainly (and therefore need new chipset and new socket), but want to keep all your grandfathers PCI legacy hardware and even use the old DDR3 ram for some weird reason and and and...

 

[Uplink10]

and even use the old DDR3 ram for some weird reason and and and...

DDR3 is fine, I just have a problem with DDR4 which brings nothing to the table except higher price, need to buy new RAM and most importantly measly 600 MHz raise in the standard frequency.

DDR4 operates at a voltage of 1.2 V with a frequency between 1600 and 3200 MHz, compared to frequencies between 800 and 2400 MHz and voltage requirements of 1.5 or 1.65 V of DDR3.

I am thinking the main intention of DDR4 is to force people to buy new RAM and spend money on it.

 

[deemon]

DDR3 is fine, I just have a problem with DDR4 which brings nothing to the table except higher price, need to buy new RAM and most importantly measly 600 MHz raise in the standard frequency.
I am thinking the main intention of DDR4 is to force people to buy new RAM and spend money on it.

i would love if they made actually faster or bigger RAM .... not just force people to buy different socket RAM just for... buying new stuff. AT LEAST it seems skylake brings to table 16GB RAM sticks finally. That's at least something...

 

[Uplink10]

AT LEAST it seems skylake brings to table 16GB RAM sticks finally. That's at least something...

DDR3 RAM stick can also hold 16GB of memory and more it is just that the use of DDR sticks with high capacity is mostly in servers and the market for 16GB DDR3 sticks in consumer space is not big and that is why you hardly see any 16GB DDR3 RAM sticks.

 

[deemon]

DDR3 RAM stick can also hold 16GB of memory and more it is just that the use of DDR sticks with high capacity is mostly in servers and the market for 16GB DDR3 sticks in consumer space is not big and that is why you hardly see any 16GB DDR3 RAM sticks.

It's not that there does not exist 16GB sticks, it's that "consumer level chipsets" Z87/Z97 etc. or CPU-s that go into LGA 1150 socket do not support 16GB sticks. Only X series chipsets support them. Z170 now however seems to support them finally.